Continuous dry blender



May 21, 1963 1.. A. BENTON CONTINUOUS DRY BLENDER Filed May 6, 1957 INVENTOR [00/5 4. Efn/Ta/v ATTORNEY Unite States The present invention relates to a continuous dry blender wherein various grades of asbestos and proper proportions of other dry materials such as dyes, drugs, chemicals, etc. are thoroughly blended in a rotatlng mixing cylinder. The materials, within the cylinder, are dispersed over a series of discs spaced on a shaft fixed 1n the cylinder on its axis of rotation.

The principal object of the present inventionns to provide a continuous dry blender wherein the materials 1n the blender are imparted with a forward and backward movement during passage through the blender.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a continuous blender wherein the materials within a rotating mixing cylinder are lifted by the cyhnder and allowed to fall upon an agitator, which causes a back and forth internal movement of the dry materials in addition to the normal progression through the blender.

The invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the blender with parts in section;

vFlG. 2 is a sectional view taken on a plane passing through the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of one of the discs; and

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of the agitator.

Referring to the drawing there is disclosed a continuous dry blender comprising a hollow mixing cylinder closed by removable plates 12 and 14. The cylinder 10 is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis on a plurality of bearings v16 that ride in the tracks 18 secured to the outer surface of the cylinder .10. The beanngs 16 are rotatably secured in fixed supports 20. A stationary motor 22 rotates the cylinder 10* by driving the pinion gear 24 which is in mesh with the girth rack 26 secured to the outer surface of the cylinder.

A hopper 28 having a nozzle 30 extending through an opening 32 in the plate 12 feeds the dry materials to the cylinder 10. On the inner surface of the cylinder 10, there are secured a plurality of flights 34 for lifting and dispersing the materials in aiding their passage through the cylinder 10. Each flight 34 constitutes the outer most segment of a radius plane emanating from the longitudinal axis of the mixing cylinder. The flights 34 are secured at one end in the plate 12 and at the other end to a retaining ring 36 which is fixed to the inner surface of the cylinder. Between the ring 36 and the plate 14, the cylinder 10 is provided with a plurality of apertures 38 through which the blended materials pass to a chute 40. The ring 36 keeps the materials in the proper section of the cylinder.

The agitator for the blender is shown in 'FIGS. 1 and 3 and comprises a shaft 42 which is mounted for rotation with the cylinder 10 so that its longitudinal axis coincides atent with the axis of rotation of the cylinder 10. One end of the shaft 42 is mounted in a socket 44 secured to the plate '14 and is retained therein by a set screw 46. The other end of the shaft '42 is received-in a sleeve 48 in the spider frame 50, the legs 52 of which are fastened to the inner surface of the cylinder 10. A set screw 54 secures the shaft 42 in the sleeve 48. Mounted in axially spaced relation on the shaft 42 are a plurality of discs 56. Each disc 56 has an elliptical central aperture 57 the walls of which are secured to a collar 58 so that the plane of the disc 56 cuts though the collar 58 to form an included angle of 60. Therefore, each disc 56 will form an ellipse when projected along the longitudinal axis of the collar. The ratio of the diameter of a disc 56 to the diameter of the mixing cylinder .10 is /221. The collars 58 are secured in the desired position on the shaft 42 by set screws 60 nesting in grooves 62 spaced 90 apart circumferentially of the shaft.

In assembling the discs 56 on the shaft 42, each successive collar 58 is rotated and then secured so that the minor axis of the projected ellipse has been turned through 90". Thus, as viewed in FIG. 4, disc 56a is in the initial position. Successive discs 56b, 0, d, e have each been rotated 90 to be in the 90, l, 270, and 360 position respectively. Therefore, disc 56a and 56e are in the same relative position on the shaft. Discs 56a, 56b, 56c, and 56d consequently comprise a distinctive group, the group pattern of which is repeated with subsequent successive discs. In FIG. 1, for example, two such similar groups are mounted on shaft 42, excluding the last disc adjacent the outlet of the mixer.

In operation, the mixing cylinder is rotated by the motor 22 acting on the rack :26 through the pinion gear 24. The cylinder rotates between 5 and 30 rpm. depending upon the type of materials being mixed. Normally, the lighter the materials the slower the speed of rotation. Various grades of asbestos and other dry materials are fed through the hopper nozzle 30 to the bottom of the mixing cylinder 10. Here, they are picked up by the flights 34 and carried to the top of the cylinder 10 where under the influence of gravity they fall on the tilted discs 56. The discs 56 deflect the materials forward or backward depending on the section of the disc upon which they fall. Apertures 64 in the flights 34 allow some of the materials to pass through the flights for additional mixing. Thus, as the materials pass longitudinally through the mixing cylinder 10 they are constantly lifted by the flights 34 and dispersed over the discs 56 and imparted with a forward or backward movement so that they are thoroughly blended before falling through the openings 38 to the chute 40. The materials pass longitudinally through the rotating cylinder because of the inclination of materials in a rotating container to level out. Thus, since the materials at the inlet will be of the greater vertical extent, the tendency will be for the materials to move axially through the cylinder toward the outlet. If it is desired to speed the passage of the materials through the cylinder, it may be mounted in an inclined position.

Having thus described the invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

What'I claim is:

1. A continuous dry blender for mixing materials comprising, a mixing cylinder mounted for rotation about its substantially horizontally disposed longitudinal axis, means for rotating said cylinder, inlet means at one end of said cylinder for receiving material to be mixed, outlet means at the other end of the cylinder, a plurality of longitudinal flights on the inner wall of said cylinder for lifting and dispersing material, a plurality of spaced discs, means supporting said discs along the longitudinal-axis of 'said cylinder, successive discs being out of parallel a substantial amount, and the space between successive discs being substantially flee of structure which would impede the flow of material as it drops between the discs to the bottom of the cylinder, whereby the material has a back-and-forth motion generally parallel to the longitudinal axis as it travels from the inlet of the cylinder to the outlet thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,903 Seldner Jan. 1, 1901 961,940 Disbrow June 21, 1910 2,310,603 Taylor Feb. 9, 1943 2,503,993 Blomgren Apr. 11, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 372,046 Great Britain May 5, 1932 12,464 Norway Aug. 19, 1902 

1. A CONTINUOUS DRY BLENDER FOR MIXING MATERIALS COMPRISING, A MIXING CYLINDER MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED LONGITUDINAL AXIS, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID CYLINDER, INLET MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID CYLINDER FOR RECEIVING MATERIAL TO BE MIXED, OUTLET MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF THE CYLINDER, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINAL FLIGHTS ON THE INNER WALL OF SAID CYLINDER FOR LIFTING AND DISPERSING MATERIAL, A PLURALITY OF SPACED DISCS, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID DISCS ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CYLINDER, SUCCESSIVE DISCS BEING OUT OF PARALLEL A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT, AND THE SPACE BETWEEN SUCESSIVE DISCS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF STRUCTURE WHICH WOULD IMPEDE THE FLOW OF MATERIAL AS IT DROPS BETWEEN THE DISCS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CYLINDER, WHEREBY THE MATERIAL HAS A BACK-AND-FORTH MOTION GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS AS IT TRAVELS FROM THE INLET OF THE CYLINDER TO THE OUTLET THEREOF. 